Explore the Athearn ATH88944 SD38 CR Conrail Quality locomotive #6953 in HO scale, featuring DCC and sound. This model comes with road - number - specific details. For #6939, it has smaller 'Q' logos, 'Conrail' logos on the front and rear, a small EMD plow, a Leslie 3 - chime horn, a Sinclair antenna, a rear brake wheel, and triple clasp brakes. #6953, on the other hand, sports larger 'Q' logos, a 'Conrail Quality' logo on the front and a 'Conrail' logo on the rear, no plow, along with the same horn, antenna, brake wheel, and triple clasp brakes, plus exposed Timkin bearing trucks. The SD38 series locomotive offers many features. It has separately applied wire grab irons, a standard 81' low nose (no headlight or brake unless noted), a standard cab with a dual - beam sealed headlight and glare shields (unless noted), see - through cab windows, and fixed - position cab side windows. It also has oil - bath or paper air filters, ribbed or smooth blower housing, a standard dustbin (unless noted), see - through dynamic brake and radiator fans, and dynamic or non - dynamic brakes as per the prototype. The locomotive has non - turbo exhaust stacks, chicken wire radiator grilles (unless noted), a painted 'F' on the short hood end (unless noted), and a fuel tank of 2600, 3200, or 4000 gallons according to the prototype. It comes fully assembled and ready - to - run with McHenry® scale knuckle spring couplers and DCC Ready 21 - pin NEM Quick Plug™ technology. The sound - equipped models feature onboard Econami Sound by SoundTraxx, which operates in both DC and DCC. The SD38 was built by General Motors Electro - Motive Division from May 1967 to October 1971, with a 2000 - horsepower EMD 645 16 - cylinder engine.

Using your Athearn ATH88944 SD38 CR Conrail Quality locomotive #6953 is a breeze. First, make sure your track is clean and properly connected. Place the locomotive on the track and power it up. If you're using DC mode, you can enjoy basic engine, horn, and bell sounds. Switch to DCC mode for full functions. To control the sound effects, use the appropriate buttons on your controller. When programming a multiple - unit (MU) lashup, set the lead unit to control the horn, bell, and lights. As for maintenance, regularly clean the wheels and electrical pickups to ensure smooth operation. Keep the locomotive away from dust and moisture. If you need to replace parts, use the Genesis motor retrofit kit ATHG63839 as it's compatible with this model. Store the locomotive in a cool, dry place when not in use. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for any advanced operations.